Welcome to the Differentiated Instruction Page!



Great site for explanation of differentiation strategies: explanation


Recommended Books:
Differentiated Instruction: Responding to the Needs of All Learners
How to Differentiate Instruction in the Mixed Ability Classroom ~ Carol Ann Tomlinson
Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences ~ Howard Gardner

What is Differentiated Instruction?




Differentiation Chart:


Three modes of differentiation:

Content - can be differentiated through acceleration, compacting, variety, reorganization, flexible pacing, and the use of more advanced or complex concepts, abstractions, and materials. This will allow students to move through the material at their own pace. When they mastered one concept they can move on to the next.

Process - Students are given open-ended questions that allow them to respond in a way appropriate to their level of understanding. These answers or responses can vary in complexity, depth of analysis, and breadth.

Product - Allowing students to complete assignments in ways that use their various strengths is differentiation of product. Some students may write a report, or do an oral presentation or maybe design a web page.

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Multiple Intelligences . . .
----- Dr. Howard Gardner [4] has divided children's learning into different categories. He calls these categories - multiple intelligences. In 1983, Gardner named seven types of intelligences. At present, he has divided children's learning styles into nine intelligences. He believes these nine different intelligences are relatively independent but have some interacting cognitive capacities.

1. Verbal-Linguistic: Students use spoken and written communications, abstract reasoning, conceptual patterning and symbolic thinking.
Often these students excel at writing. This strength creates good writers and lawyers. This is considered the highest academic intelligence in schools.

2. Logical-Mathematical: Students use logic,and numeric symbols and operations.
Often they recognize patterns and see the connection between separate pieces of information creating students who excel in mathematics and related fields like computers technology.

3. Musical: Students understand the concepts of sound, rhythm, pitch, harmony and melody.
Often these students may create musical compositions. However, this does not mean they are worthy of performing on stage.

4. Spatial: Students can work and think in three dimensions.
Often student athletes have good spatial intelligence as well as architects and cartographers.

5. Bodily-kinesthetic: Students use physical movement to express themselves.
Many of these students are usually good at sports.

6. Naturalistic: Students understand nature and its phenomenon. They understand weather, animals and plant life.
These students may become a forest ranger, marine biologist or a zoologist.

7. Interpersonal: Students can interact with others easily and flourish in cooperative learning groups.
Sales or the political world is a career for interpersonal students.

8. Intrapersonal: Students understand and use their own thoughts, feelings and interests to navigate through life.
This strength aides students in almost anything they do in life. They can become anything from a self made millionaire to a journalist.

9. Existential: Students can ponder things that having meaning beyond what we may understand scientifically. Students can think about things that have no real finite answer.
Philosophy and liturgical work require this strength.

Learning Styles Inventories:
Multiple Intelligence Inventory
Learning Inventory Quiz
Main three learning styles

The above information was taken from the Inclusive Teaching Wikispaces
Check the differentiated instruction pages for even more info.



Visit these links for more resources On Differentiated Instruction:
A Live Binder filled with information
A wikispace with tools for Differentiation
Differentiation for the Gifted Student
An online differentiation tool for designing lessons

Useful information from the SDP - entire book found on SchoolNet under Effective Instruction






Sample lesson plans to help differentiate:


Differentiated learning Plan - to help keep track of who is doing what